If the U.S. Postal Service receives no help from Congress by May 15, four Lane County postal centers could be among those shut down nationwide.

In Lane County, the Eugene-Springfield processing center — situated beside the Gateway Postal Service retail location — and the post offices of Walton, Swisshome and Deadwood are on the chopping block.

Should the closures proceed, the most tangible effect felt by customers will be the loss of first-class overnight delivery and a slight slowdown in overall mail pace, while residents of the three unincorporated Coast Range communities will lose a key connector to the outside world.

The Eugene-Springfield area will also lose the vast majority of a 170-strong, largely unionized work force currently employed at the Gateway processing center. The Postal Service estimates the closure will shed only 68 net positions, with the rest of the workers mostly relocated, according to U.S. Postal Service spokesman Kerry Jeffrey. The Postal Service estimates that closing the Gateway facility would save $4.5 million annually.